1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle clutches and more particularly to a pressure plate to be installed between the throw-out bearing and clutch release fingers.
In a vehicle clutch construction, a clutch throw-out bearing surrounds the transmission input shaft and is moved axially along this shaft by the clutch pedal for engaging the clutch release fingers to separate the clutch pressure plate from the stationary clutch disk secured to the adjacent face of the flywheel thus disengaging the clutch for shifting transmission gears. Contact between the throw-out bearing and the clutch release fingers results in a three-point frictional wearing-out action of the throw-out bearing necessitating its replacement. This is a time consuming and relatively expensive repair in that the gear train, including the transmission of the vehicle, must be disconnected from the clutch in order to remove the old throw-out bearing and install a new one.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior patents, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,333,664 and 3,486,598 generally relate to construction of the throw-out bearing rather than a friction or pressure plate to be interposed between the throw-out bearing and the clutch release fingers for minimizing wear of the throw-out bearing.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,886,294 discloses a clutch throw-out bearing connecting collar which includes clutch release levers pivotally pinned, at one end, thereto with the opposite end of the levers being mounted between clutch plates for rocking movement in both axial and lateral directions.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,265 discloses a lever release plate connected with clutch release fingers by bolts inserted through the inwardly disposed ends of clutch release levers and slidable in radial slots formed in the lever release plate.
This invention is distinctive over these two patents by providing a throw-out bearing pressure plate to be interposed between the clutch release levers and a throw-out bearing on substantially any conventional vehicle friction clutch without the necessity of replacing or modifying the clutch release levers.
This invention is distinctive over my copending application by forming recesses in the periphery of a clutch throw-out bearing pressure plate for receiving the clutch release fingers.